


There's too much love

by jstrattford



Series: Take what you need, pull it apart [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 18:15:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4359278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jstrattford/pseuds/jstrattford
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry meets Niall at an airport.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There's too much love

**Author's Note:**

> A drabble I wrote a while ago but decided to post it here too. Also found on my [tumblr](http://arie-172.tumblr.com/post/116682168772/theres-too-much-love).

“Excuse me,” Harry grumbles, holding his carry-on bag close to his body as he twists around to avoid bumping into any more people. He’s never exactly liked planes – long flights kill him each time – and it’s even less enjoyable in this situation because his destination is as foreign as the voices surrounding him that are speaking in that unfamiliar language. But then again, that’s really a whole different issue that’s pulling at him more roughly than the way his stomach is twisting into tight knots.

Harry shakes his head then, willing himself to stay focused before his mind strays again.

“30F,” he reads off his ticket. He walks a bit slowly, clumsily making his way past a couple more people, already annoyed because he can tell that he won’t any room to move around in his seat because the area is so cramped.

However, when he reaches his destination there are already people there, Harry notices, as he feels the grumpy emotions that were building inside his body barrel out like that of the small breath he takes when his eyes lock with a pair of curious blue ones.

Harry stares at them then, a bit taken by the blond man that’s looking right at him with a quizzical expression, as the girl who’s sitting next to him lifts a brow at them, confused.

“Hi,” Harry says finally, shaking his head as he takes his seat.

“First flight?” asks the man, voice roughed with a very lovely Irish accent that’s soothing to Harry’s ears.

“Not really,” Harry laughs a bit, adding, “just a new destination.”

“Hmm, sounds brutal,” nods the guy, the smile still hanging on his lips.

The girl looks up at them, shaking her head.

“He’s Niall and I’m Emma,” she says through a loud exhale, pointing to themselves in an impatient manner.

“She’s my daughter,” Niall corrects, smiling at her when he runs a hand through her blonde hair to mess it up.

“Dad!” she frowns at him, but Harry can tell it’s forced because of the affection in her eyes when she looks up at him.

“Harry,” Harry says, nodding, managing to coax out a laugh out of both of them, even more surprising that he finds himself returning it freely.

*

Harry doesn’t particularly mind the seating arrangement.

Emma's sitting in the middle, her small figure giving Harry enough room to make himself comfortable. However, it’s a bigger task to accomplish because Harry isn’t exactly fond of kids, extending his hands carefully each time he feels Emma bump into him. She doesn’t appear to notice, though, smiling all the more brightly, even when she turns to speak to him and see the serious expression cemented on his face.

“How old are you?” she asks, examining Harry closely.

Harry lulls at that. “How old do you think?” he asks, entertaining the question with another one.

Emma stares hard at him, the lines on her forehead showing just how much she’s debating the number.

“I think…” Emma pauses, squinting her eyes at Harry as if to get a better look at him. “…35?” she says finally, face a mixture of confusion and uncertainty.

Harry frowns widely at that, eyes narrowing like he can’t quite believe it. But, it softens the moment he hears Niall chuckling at them.

 _A beautiful laugh_ , Harry thinks to himself, clearing his clogged throat because he doesn’t trust his voice to be calm when he’s just heard what he decides is now his favorite noise in the world.

“You’re a bit off,” Harry says eventually, free hand going to his hair as he messily swipes a couple of curls out of his forehead. _Years off_ , Harry thinks, but keeps quiet because of the fond way Niall’s watching them, and Harry doesn’t think he’s ready for Niall to find out a reason to stop doing that.

“ _Oh_ ,” Emma says after a moment, disappointment laced in her voice. Niall gently touches her elbow then, and at that she brightens quickly, smile reaching her eyes when she looks up at Harry again.

“I’m five,” her voice is happy and unguarded, unconsciously making Harry feel the same.

“Are you?” Harry muses, smiling at her when she nods.

“I’ll be turning 6 in July,” she shows him with her fingers.

“That’s a long way from now,” Harry observes, falling into a comfortable vibe that’s just as surprising as his willingness to do so.

Niall leans over, smiling at them, lowering his voice to reveal, “She loves talking to people. You’ll really have to forgive her for being so nosy. I can never get her to quiet down.”

“I’m not,” Emma complains but Niall pulls her in, giving her a quick hug with his strong hands that don’t go unnoticed by Harry’s eyes.

*

Harry’s ears are bursting when the plane finally takes off. It’s like he can feel the air polluting his eardrums, yawning to attempt to shake out what’s left of the oxygen, but it’s in vain because it only prolongs the pain that’s reaching the sensitive area inside his ears.

“Christ,” Harry mumbles softly, cursing himself for forgetting to bring those earmuffs he left at his mother’s house.

Something nudges his side though, a soft one that still manages to free him of some of his pain, turning to see Emma looking at him with her headphones in her small hands.

“It helps with the noise,” she says, voice sounding muffled because of the sound of the engines.

Harry’s brows rise, taking a quick look at Niall who shrugs.

“She’s right,” is his response, watching Harry with a slight grin gracing his face.

“Thanks,” Harry says, a bit uncomfortable but takes the headphones and wastes little time to put them on. But, it’s the second he does so that he frowns, lowering his head to whisper to Emma.

“There’s no music,” he says softly, statement coming off more like a question than anything else because of his surprise.

Emma nods, enjoying the confusion plastered on Harry’s face.

“It’s not for music,” she says happily, like she’s pleased that she knows something that Harry doesn’t. “I only put them on because it’s too loud,” she nods with more force, as if to show how happy she is.

“Why?” Harry questions, curious eyes watching her with more carefulness.

“Dunno,” Niall cuts in. “She’s just a little weird about those things,” he says, but by now Harry can detect the fondness lingering in his voice, laughing openly in a way he hasn’t in months.

*

There are looks exchanged between Niall and Harry.

It could really just be Harry’s desire to imagine something between the two, but he doesn’t think that the prolonged gazes are all in his mind.

Or at least, it’s what he hopes.

“What do you do?” Harry plucks up the courage to ask, turning to face Niall as Emma keeps her eyes on the screen in front of her, turning up her volume.

“I work at a bank,” Niall says casually.

“Kind of like an accountant?” Harry questions, failing to hide his eagerness to know more about Niall.

“Something like that,” Niall smiles then, all lovely and like Harry’s the only one there, sending Harry’s stomach into bits. “We were on holidays because this one right here wanted to get away from London for a bit.”

“It always rains,” Emma complains, sulking into her seat but keeps her eyes on the screen.

“What about you? What do you do?” Niall asks, as the uncomfortable tension makes its way to Harry’s jaw, feeling the muscles on his face contract tightly.

“Oh…I, uh…I was a teacher but things didn’t really work out,” Harry says, hoping that Niall will just leave it there. And perhaps he can detect some of Harry’s nerves because the next time he speaks his tone is gentle, like he knows it’s a sensitive subject to Harry.

“So you’re looking for a job?” Niall asks carefully, his way of making it sound like a question and not an accusation.

“You could say that,” Harry says, smiling because he appreciates Niall’s cautious tone.

“As in publically?”

“Or privately,” Harry swallows when Niall’s eyes shine at him with an emotion he can’t quite trace. Harry shuts his mouth then, swallowing although the inside of his mouth is dead dry.

“Ah, I see,” Niall nods after a moment, clearing his throat like he’s indicating he’s about to make an announcement, voice a lot more formal when he speaks. “You know, you could – ”

“Dad?” Emma interrupts, and Harry’s not sure if the way his heart is beating is due to his thankfulness or if it’s his spewing anger.

“Yes?” Niall asks, smiling at her.

She doesn’t say anything then but wiggles around in her chair, an embarrassed look on her face that Niall can only chuckle at in response.

“Right,” Niall laughs loudly, “to the ladies then?”

“Dad!” Emma frowns at him.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s nothing Harry doesn’t already know,” Niall adds, giving Harry a slight smile that does a better job of getting Harry’s cheeks worked up than reassuring him like they were meant to do.

He stands though, letting them through, inhaling a sharp breath when he feels Niall’s elbow hit his.

“Sorry,” Niall says, voice a bit raspier, eyes lingering on to Harry’s.

“It’s alright,” Harry musters out, noting how ridiculous he feels that it’s  _more_  than alright.

*

Niall falls asleep somewhere along the way, Harry’s not surprised, because he falls into the same sleep shortly after too. However, he is surprised that when he opens his eyes, Emma is the one who’s watching him.  _Closely_.

“Yes?” Harry questions, sitting up in his chair.

“You sleep funny,” Emma says bluntly, not even blinking when she does so.

And normally Harry would be offended, but it’s her unguarded manner of speaking that leaves him curious, nodding in response.

“And what makes you say that?” Harry asks, genuinely interested in hearing her take on this.

“Your hair covers your face. It’s weird,” she says, matter-of-factly.

“Thanks?” Harry says, lifting a brow. She laughs, though, cheeks going a light shade of pink when her stomach moves up and down.

“I’m glad you’re awake. I was getting bored,” Emma says, calming down but looking at Harry with the same smile. “Dad always makes funny faces when I’m bored,” she hints.

“That’s nice of him,” Harry says, face twitching into a smile because he can tell what she’s getting at.

“Yeah…” she sighs dramatically, adding, “….but I’m  _really_ bored.”

“Are you?” Harry shakes his head.

“Yeah. And  _a lot_ ,” she maintains.

“Hmm. Well…” Harry pauses, scrunching up his face together and sticking out his tongue. “That’s a shame,” he says, laughing.

“Not like that!” Emma says, but she’s laughing now.

“You have to open your eyes more,” she tells him, widening her eyes. “Like this.”

“Like this?” Harry asks, squinting his eyes on purpose, making her laugh even harder.

“No, silly! Not like that,” she says, enjoying the way Harry’s face is twisting in ways even he didn’t know he could do. Probably will never do again, he thinks, but smiles because of the way her nose scrunches up when she laughs.

“Nice family.” Harry pauses, looking over his shoulder to see a flight attendant watching them, smiling at Harry’s goofy face. Harry freezes instantly, clearing his throat.

“Oh, but we’re not – ”

“He’s the amazingest!” Emma says, as the flight attend nods at them.

And all Harry can do is smile too, not even bothering to be the grammar police he is and tell her that amazingest isn’t a word.

*

“Where are you going?” asks Emma, resting her head on Harry’s shoulder.

“Leaving,” Harry says softly. “I think it’s time to try a new place,” Harry mumbles to himself, looking out at the direction of Niall’s window, swallowing nervously because he’s suddenly aware of the silence.

When he looks back at Emma she’s frowning widely at him, something incredibly sincere about her expression that Harry knows can only belong to someone so young with little restrictions in their words.

“You’re weird,” she says finally, but there’s a crooked smile on her face now.

“That’s not the first time I’ve been told that,” Harry concedes, eyes going bright despite the redness in them due to the lack of sleep.

“But I like weird. Dad’s a bit daft too,” she grins happily, as Harry feels his lips tug up into a smile, watching Niall stir in his sleep. He’s an even more enchanting sight when he’s like that, Harry notes, wondering just what it’d be like to wake up to that everyday. If perhaps there’s even a possibility to that.

Harry’s left staring at Niall’s sleepy self when he notices that he’s being watched carefully by Emma, the realization hitting him harder than that of his beating heart.

“You should tell him,” she says seriously, catching Harry by surprise. “Dad isn’t dating anyone at the moment, he could use someone like you.”

“Haha right,” Harry forces out of his constricted throat. He’d be lying if he said that the thought wasn’t the reason of his burning cheeks.

“Really, Harry,” Emma insists, completely lacking the joking tone she had been using moments before. “Dad doesn’t go out very often.”

At that, Harry frowns.

“Really?”

Emma shakes her head. “He says it wouldn’t be fair to me because I’ll grow too attached, but he’s really just lying for himself.”

Harry nods slowing, smiling at Emma’s pouting face.

“But he’d be alright with you. He fancies you, you know,” she says, speaking freely at him.

“He doesn’t know me,” Harry maintains, confusion laced in his voice.

“But that hasn’t stopped you from staring at him either,” Emma grins, adding, “don’t even deny it,” when Harry attempts to protest.

“But it isn’t that easy,” Harry presses, but Emma isn’t responding to that because her face is flushed with glee.

“I know, you can sleep in my room!” she exclaims, eyes going bigger with excitement when she speaks again. “Or Mac’s!” she adds, chuckling knowingly.

“Who’s Mac?” Harry muses, letting his gaze fall onto Niall’s face, examining the way his lips are curved into a smile even in his sleep, the strong outline of his jawline, and the beautiful shade of pink that’s tainted on his cheeks. Harry grins then and says, “a boyfriend, I hope not.”

“No no, silly! I already told you dad doesn’t have any,” Emma laughs, her revelation calming the tension around Harry’s shoulders. “Mac’s my dog! And don’t worry, he likes strangers,” she smiles easily, meeting Harry’s eyes.

“Hmmm, tempting,” Harry muses, face breaking into a huge grin that Emma returns instantly.

He’s beginning to see the inside of Niall’s world – the dynamic, the opportunities, the potential in waking up close to people everyday, someone to call his own, just… _everything_  – which, he decides, might  _not_  be hard to visualize himself in.

*

“You should have woken me up,” Niall complains to Emma for the 7th time, voice deeper than before because he’s still slightly sleepy.

“I wanted to but Harry didn’t let me!” Emma complains, looking up at Harry. “Tell him, Harry!”

Niall lifts a brow at Harry, managing to look so endearing even in his state.

“I thought you could use the sleep,” Harry says calmly, but he knows that the forced lack of emotion in his voice doesn’t go unnoticed by Emma because she smiles then.

“Harry made silly faces,” she gloats, and Niall grins instantly at her.

“Did he?” Niall says, the soft smile on his face still there when he looks back at Harry. “We’ll have to see it sometime then,” he says with the same care that was in Emma’s voice, as the small breath that Harry was about to take gets caught in his chest.

“Uh, alright,” Harry says, coughing into his hand, averting his gaze as if search for his luggage but he can feel Niall’s eyes still on him.

*

“It was nice to meet you,” Niall says, standing across from Harry as they shake hands.

“You too,” Harry says, brows scrunching up when he thinks,  _really nice_.

“Are you sure you don’t need a ride?” Niall asks then, tone letting out a bit of hope that is like sweet music to Harry’s ears. He smiles softly, looking at both at Emma and Niall with eyes that are shinning with a big amount of gentleness, allowing himself to be vulnerable.

“No, I think I’m alright,” he says, and once he takes in the confused expression on their faces he adds, “it’s just something I need to do by myself.”

“Got it,” Niall says, nodding, placing a hand on Emma’s shoulder.

“Got what?” Emma says, visibly pouting.

“Nothing, love,” Niall says, pushing her into a small hug and squeezes before looking back up at Harry.

“We’ll see you around maybe,” Niall says, already twisting his body away from Harry’s direction.

“Maybe,” Harry nods, mirroring Niall’s action as he turns and walks with heavy feet. He doesn’t get far, though, because shortly after he hears his name being called, a bit distant and soft, but Harry’s always been able to distinguish his name even in loud places.

“Yeah?” Harry asks, a silent question present in his tone that he wonders if Niall can detect.

“I know this might be sudden – ” Niall pauses, out of breath.

Harry lets his hands slide out of the pockets of his jumper, knotting them together as he watches Niall with an eyebrow that’s raised underneath his intrigued eyes.

“Go on,” Harry says, dimples on display and drifting his eyes across every detail of Niall’s face in anticipation. This, however, only appears to rattle Niall, inhaling a breath.

“Well it’s just that…” Niall trails off, as if his mind is racking up for any excuse that will come to him. “Emma might need a new tutor,” he says finally, instantly smiling, like he’s pleased with his own response.

“And you said you needed a job, right?” Niall asks, making it sound like Harry would be doing him the favor when it’s really the complete opposite.

“Right,” Harry grins, taking slight notice of Emma’s moving body, watching them impatiently. “She will.”

“So take this and I dunno…call?” Niall hands Harry a small card with his name on it. “For anything. It doesn’t have to be for the job. It can be for anything…you know?” Niall adds lamely, straightening the collar of his shirt.

“I…” Harry’s thoughtful look turns into a smile, words finally catching up to him. “I think so,” he says, pleased to see Niall smile, like always.

“Okay,” Niall nods, all careful. “ _Okay_. I’ll – ”

“See you,” Harry offers, eyes doing a careful inspection of Niall’s face, as if he wants to commit every detail to his memory. And it’s when Niall’s face splits into a sheepish grin that Harry  _knows_  that it won’t just be a memory.

Emma waves at Harry, face a bit more solemn when Niall leads them away. Harry waves back, however, smile brighter than the lights that are blinding his face, nodding his head as if saying,  _well, alright_.

Emma looks back at him and her eyes shimmer with excitement, happily nodding to Harry, a mutual understanding between the two because it definitely  _won’t_  be the last time they’ll see each other. That much Harry’s certain of.

*

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
